Toy bank



E. B. BIGUE Sept. '1, 1953 TOY BANK Filed Feb. 18 1950 ATTORNEYS.

[M/AE 5 5761/:

Patented Sept. 1, 1953 TOY BANK Emile B. Bigu, Beverly Hills, Calif., assignor to Bigler Manufacturing Company, Las Vegas,

Nev., a copartnership Application February 18, 1950, Serial No. 145,067

3 Claims.

My invention relates to toy banks and included inthe objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a toy bank which receives and stores a predetermined number of coins and thereupon discharges all of the coins simultaneously.

Second, to provide a toy bank which is entertaining and amusing in its operation, therefore encourages its use.

- Third, to provide on the whole a novel toy bank which is economical of manufacture and dependable in its operation.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of my toy bank with a portion of the front shell member broken away to show the coin chute.

Figure 2 is a partial elevational partial sectional view thereof taken through 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view thereof through 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof with the back shell removed.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View through 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the drum operating cam and coin retaining members.

My toy bank includes two complementary shell members I and 2 of substantially rectangular form. The front shell member I is provided with projections 3 which extend through the rear shell member 2 and are provided with rigid ends so that the two shell members may be secured together. The two shell members define a hollow upwardly extending boss 4 having a coin slot 5 therein. Below the coin slot 5 the front shell member defines a coin chute 6 covered by a back plate I. The coin chute 6 discharges through an aperture 8 in the lower portion of the front shell member I.

The two shell members form split journals for a drum shaft 9 which extends transversely between the sides of the shell members. Secured to, or formed integrally with the drum shaft 9, is a drum I0. The front shell member I is provided with a window II to expose a section of the drum I0. One end of the drum I0 is provided with a ring of axially extending pins I2 which form rigid elements. One of the projections or securing lugs 3 which join the shell members I and 2 is located in the hollow boss 4 and serves as a journal to support an escapement lever I3, having an arm I4 which extends downwardly for axial movement between the pins I2. The lever I3 is provided with a second arm I5, so disposed relative to the coin slot 5 that when the proper size coin is inserted the escapement lever I3 is moved a suflicient distance to permit movement of the drum I0. One side of the arm I4 is beveled or cammed so that each pin on moving past tilts the lever I 3 sufficiently to allow escape of the coin into the coin chute 6. A spring I6 disposed between the arm I4 and a recess within the boss 4, tends to maintain the lever I3 in its coin-engaging position in which the arm I5 locks the drum against rotation.

Journaled between the complementary shell members below the drum shaft 9 is an operating shaft 57, one end of which protrudes and is provided with a handle I8. Within the shell members the shaft I I is provided with an arm I9 which is normally held against a stop 20 formed in the shell member I by action of a spring 2|.

Journaled on the spring shaft I1 is a drum drive pawl member 22 and a coin release lever 23. These levers are urged axially on the shaft I! by a spring 24, the release lever bearing against a stop 25. The shaft I I is provided with a cross pin 26 which provides a drive connection between the shaft I! and the pawl member 22. The pawl member 22 is provided with a pawl lug 21 arranged to engage the rigid pins I2. The pawl lug 21 is so beveled that on return movement of-the pawl arm the member 22 is deflected by the ratchet pins and caused to slide axially against the action of the spring 24.

The coin release lever 23 is provided with an arm 28 which engages a cam lug 29 disposed adjacent one of the rigid pins I2. The lever 23 is provided with a second or latch arm 30 which extends downwardly and forwardly through a slot in the back plate I of the coin chute so as to engage and retain coins which have entered the chute, as shown best in Figure 1. A spring 3I tends to hold the coin release lever 23 in its coin retaining position.

Operation of my toy bank is as follows:

When a coin of proper size is inserted in the coin slot 5, the escapement lever I3 is moved sufficiently to permit rotation of the drum, thereupon, when the handle I8 of the operating shaft I! is pulled forwardly, the pawl lug 21 engages a rigid pin I2. Rotation of the drum causes a rigid pin I2 engaging the cam arm I4 of the escapement lever to pivot the lever further, releasing the coin, so that subsequently the lever returns to its locking position between the rigid pins. The handle I8 returns by spring action to its original position and the pawl lug 21 is deflected past a ratchet pin, so as to be in position for another operation. As each coin is inserted, the drum is advanced an amount predetermined by the ratchet pins I2. When the cam lug 29 engages the arm 28 of the coin release lever 23, operation of the handle l8 causes the release arm to clear the coins and permit those coins which have accumulated in the coin chute 6, to discharge through the aperture 8.

The drum is provided with suitable indicia exposed in succession at the window as the drum is rotated.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish tobe limitedto the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy bank, involving: a housing defining a generally vertically extending coin chute, a coin receiving slot at the upper end of the chute, and a. discharge aperture at the lower end of the chute; a coin operated latch near the coin re-- ceivingslot; an indicia bearing drum rotatable in said: housing and having a ring of axiallydirected pins at one end"; said latch having an countershaft oscillatably mounted in said housing and having an exposed end; a handle for said exposed end; a pawl means mounted on said count-ershaft and egageable with said pins to advance said drum on oscillation of said handle; a coin restraining lever journaled on said countershaft and including an end extending into said coin chute near its discharge aperture to restrain coins therein and an end extending in proximity to said ring of pins; and a cam member on said drum disposed to engage said coin restraining lever to release coins accumulated in said chute.

2. A toy'bank, involving: a housing defining a generally'vertically extending coin chute, a coin receiving slot at, the upper end of the chute, and a discharge aperture at the lower end of the chute; av coin operated. latch near the coin receiving. slot; an indicia bearing drum rotatable in said housing and having a ring of axially directed. pins at one end, said latch havingan end,

adapted to enter between said pins to restrain saiddrum; and movable to free said drum on insertion of a coin. in said receiving slot;- a countershaf-tv oscillatably mounted insaid housing and having an exposed end; a handle for said exposed end; a pawl means axially slidably mounted on but oscillatable with said countershaft, said pawl means operatively engageable with said pins on oscillation of said countershaft in one direction to advance said drum, said pawl being cammed by said pins and axially slidable on said countershaft to pass one of said pins on oscillation of said countershaft in the opposite direction; a coin restraining lever journaled on said countershaft and including an end extendinginto said coin chute near its discharge aperture to restrain coins therein and an end extending in proximity to said ring of pins; and a cam member on said drumdisposed to engage said coin restraining lever to release coins accumulated in said chute.

3.. A- toy bank, involving: a housing defining a generally vertically extending coin chute, a coin receiving slot at the upper end of the chute, and a discharge aperture at the lower end of the chute; a drum journal'ed in said housing and having a ring of axially directed pins; 9, coin operated: latch havinga coin engaging end projecting into said chute near its' coin receiving slot and a cammed end normally fitting between said pins to restrain said drum and axially movable to clear said pins, said latch movable to an intermediate position by a coin inserted in said chute wherein said pins are engageable with the cammed end of said latch to free said drum, said latch thereupon being movable by said pins to an extreme positionon rotation of said drum thereby to release said coin, said latch thereafter returning to its normal restraining position; a manually operated pawl means for advancing said drum when freed by insertion of a coin; a second latch having a coin restraining end adjacent the discharge end of said chute, and a trigger end adjacent said drum; and means on said drum for engaging said trigger end to release said second latch and discharge the contents of said chute on predetermined rotation of said drum.

EMILE B. BIGUE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

